All posts tagged: Makerfield

The House | Inside Andy Burnham’s Makerfield Campaign: “Nobody Thinks This Is In The Bag”

The House | Inside Andy Burnham’s Makerfield Campaign: “Nobody Thinks This Is In The Bag”

Published by Sam Flores

Andy Burnham’s campaign launch (AP Photo/Ian Hodgson/Alamy) 11 min read18 min Will Andy Burnham’s big by-election bet on Makerfield pay off? Sienna Rodgers talks to Labour MPs, insiders and activists who reveal the campaign strategy and what’s worrying them Labour activists usually begin their doorstep conversations with the words, “Hello, I’m calling on behalf of your local Labour Party.” Not so in Makerfield, where Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is relying heavily on his personal vote to return him to Westminster. In the Wigan constituency, which has always been Labour-held but where Reform picked up 24 out of 25 seats in last month’s local elections, the governing party’s by-election message is focused squarely on Burnham. It is a cartoon of his face emblazoned across leaflets and Correx boards, along with the words “ANDY FOR US”. Labour branding is limited, pretty much, to what is legally required. Nobody in the party thinks Labour would have a chance of winning this contest with any other candidate. Accordingly, Burnham has decided to prioritise his …

The kingmakers of Makerfield: English town braces for crucial by-election | Politics News

The kingmakers of Makerfield: English town braces for crucial by-election | Politics News

Published by Sam Flores

Ashton-in-Makerfield, United Kingdom – In a scenario few could have predicted, voters in a northern English market town near Manchester could determine the United Kingdom’s future political leadership. The surprise resignation of the Labour Party’s Ashton-in-Makerfield MP Josh Simons in late February left the supposedly safe seat open, paving the way for the popular mayor of Manchester, Andy Burnham, to step in. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list If he wins the seat in a crucial by-election set for June 18, he could ultimately topple embattled Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Standing in his way are the voters, many of whom Burnham has yet to convince of his credentials for the job, and the right-wing insurgent Reform UK party, which has promised to “throw everything” at the election in a bid to block Burnham’s path to the UK Parliament. Local Peter Thompson told Al Jazeera that the stakes feel high in his town. The voters of Makerfield, he acknowledged, were the country’s kingmakers or, ominously given Burnham’s popular nickname of “King of the North”, …

9 Of The Most Shocking Unearthed Comments From Reform's Makerfield Candidate

9 Of The Most Shocking Unearthed Comments From Reform's Makerfield Candidate

Published by Sam Flores

Makerfield candidate Robert Kenyon Reform UK’s candidate for the Makerfield by-election’s unearthed social media posts have stunned the general public over the last week. The right-wing party announced last Tuesday that Robert Kenyon, a supposed “plucky plumber” and Wigan councillor, was going to be taking on Labour’s Andy Burnham in the race to win next month’s crunch contest. Reform and Labour are locked in a two-horse race for the seat with Kenyon hoping to win over the support of the pro-Brexit constituency. However, Burnham’s reputation as Greater Manchester mayor has given him an early lead according to polling – and he is hoping to oust Keir Starmer as prime minister if he wins the by-election. With all eyes on the contest, Kenyon’s historic online presence has been dredged up – revealing some deeply problematic views. Even so, Reform has stood by its candidate, even trying to market his outspoken comments as a positive. Here’s what has been uncovered so far: 1. Attacks On Women An account uncovered by The Independent and linked to Kenyon wrote women can’t “ref, …

Reform Makerfield candidate: Russia ‘within their rights’ to take Crimea

Reform Makerfield candidate: Russia ‘within their rights’ to take Crimea

Published by Sam Flores

Reform UK’s candidate in the Makerfield by-election said Russia was “within their rights” to invade Crimea in 2014. In an online forum, Robert Kenyon agreed with a post that described the annexation of Crimea as “democracy in action”. Under a post titled “Hypocrisy of the West regarding Ukraine in the sin bin”, one forum member wrote: “The people of the Crimea want to be in Russia, for me that is democracy in action. “The government should work for the people, not the other way round. The people have spoken and they have what they want. The Falklands and Gibraltar, they want to stay British, so be it.” Mr Kenyon replied: “I agree totally, Russia are well within their rights to do what they have done, as we did with the Falklands. However, will Latvia be next?” It is the latest in a string of historical comments made by Mr Kenyon that could damage Reform’s campaign against Labour’s Andy Burnham in Makerfield. Last week, a poll showed Reform trailing Labour by only 3 per cent in …

Farage: I will scrap income tax on overtime

Farage: I will scrap income tax on overtime

Published by Sam Flores

Nigel Farage has pledged to axe income tax on overtime as he vows to “make work pay”. If Reform UK wins the next general election, people who earn less than £75,000 and work overtime above a 40-hour week will pay no income tax on the extra hours. The £5bn a year tax cut announcement, made during the crucial Makerfield by-election campaign, will be seen as a direct challenge to Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester. Mr Burnham hopes to oust Sir Keir Starmer if he wins the seat. It appears to be inspired by Donald Trump’s move to scrap tax on tips and is an attempt to make it harder for Labour to define itself as the party of working people. On Saturday, Survation released the constituency voting intention for Makerfield – with Labour leading on 43 per cent, edging Reform on 40 per cent, Restore Britain on 7 per cent, the Lib Dems on 4 per cent, the Green Party on 3 per cent and the Conservatives on 2 per cent. Writing for …

Green Candidate In Makerfield By-Election Quits After Less Than 12 Hours

Green Candidate In Makerfield By-Election Quits After Less Than 12 Hours

Published by Sam Flores

Former Green Party Candidate Chris Kennedy poses for a portrait at Low Hall Nature Reserve on May 21, 2026 in Wigan, England. The Greens’ candidate for the Makerfield by-election has quit after less than 12 hours in the role. The party said Chris Kennedy, a nurse and children’s safeguarding specialist, stood down for “personal and family reasons”. He was announced as the candidate at around 7.30am on Thursday but had stood down by approximately 4.30pm. The Greens are now looking for nominations for new candidates before the by-election on June 18. Shortly after the news broke, The Times reported Kennedy had shared social media posts describing an attack on Jewish ambulances in north London as a “false flag” operation. An Instagram video described the attack as “total bullshit to keep the false flag flying” and included an image where parts of the word “Jewish” had been blacked out. Kennedy also shared a post from Hugh Anthony, who describes himself as a “proud ethno-nationalist”, which claimed the Golders Green terror attack made “no sense”. A Green …

Why Makerfield By-Election Is A Seismic Moment For Politics

Why Makerfield By-Election Is A Seismic Moment For Politics

Published by Sam Flores

June 18 is set to be a seismic moment in British politics. Voters in Makerfield will decide who they want to be their new MP in a race between Labour Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, and Reform’s local plumber Robert Kenyon. If Burnham wins, he will likely look to overthrow Keir Starmer as prime minister. If Kenyon wins, all-out civil war will break out in Labour, as MPs remain mutinous under Starmer’s leadership. The by-election was triggered by Labour MP Josh Simons, who stood aside so Burnham could run for parliament. After Labour’s horrific performance in the elections in England, Wales and Scotland on May 7, MPs are desperate to turn the party’s fortunes around. As the most popular Labour politician in the country right now, many MPs believe only the mayor can lift the party out of its slump in the polls and beat Reform’s rise. Burnham was an MP between 2001 and 2017, and became a minister in the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. He ran for Labour leadership elections …

High-stakes Makerfield by-election set for June 18 – POLITICO

High-stakes Makerfield by-election set for June 18 – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

LONDON — A by-election in which Keir Starmer’s rival Andy Burnham could win a parliamentary seat will be held on June 18. Greater Manchester Mayor Burnham needs to become an MP if he is to challenge Starmer for the leadership of Britain’s ruling Labour Party. He said in a weekend interview he wants to “campaign to change Labour” in Makerfield. The by-election was triggered after former minister Josh Simons stood down as a Labour MP to create a path for Burnham to return to Westminster. Wigan Council published the notice of election confirming the date on Wednesday. Burnham has already been confirmed as Labour’s candidate after no other candidates were shortlisted for the seat. His main rival will be Reform UK’s Robert Kenyon, a local plumber who stood in the seat at the last general election. Leader Nigel Farage has promised to pump in resources to try and upset the race. Source link

Andy Burnham Confirmed As Labour Candidate In Makerfield By Election

Andy Burnham Confirmed As Labour Candidate In Makerfield By Election

Published by Sam Flores

Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour’s candidate in next month’s crucial Makerfield by-election. The Greater Manchester mayor was the only person who put his name forward to stand for the party. He said he was “proud and humbled” to have been selected as the Labour candidate. “These proud working-class communities represent the very best values of our country and they deserve so much better,” Burnham said. “It would be my honour to work for them every day, if elected as their MP, to achieve that. “Many people here feel Westminster isn’t working for them and they are right. I am standing to change that and get the voice of these communities heard loud and clear.” It comes after Labour’s national executive committee (NEC) confirmed that it would not block his attempts to return to parliament. It sets up a titanic battle between Burnham and the Reform UK candidate, Robert Kenyon, a local plumber who stood in the seat at the 2024 general election. He lost by 5,399 votes to Labour’s Josh Simons, who announced …

Can Andy Burnham actually beat Reform in Makerfield to take on Starmer? Here’s what the data shows

Can Andy Burnham actually beat Reform in Makerfield to take on Starmer? Here’s what the data shows

Published by Sam Flores

Andy Burnham has been cleared to stand in the upcoming by-election in Makerfield, paving the way for him to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the Labour leadership. Mr Burnham won approval of Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to stand, having previously blocked him from running in February’s by-election in Gorton and Denton, on Friday. The decision came after Josh Simons announced he would quit parliament to make way for the Manchester mayor to run in his seat. He awaits confirmation as Labour’s official candidate for the contest, with reports widely indicating he will be successful in this. But one hurdle remains in Mr Burnham’s path to WestminsterL winning the by-election against Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Long seen as a Labour safe seat, Wigan’s Makerfield has been in the party’s hands since its creation in 1983. However, Mr Simons won the seat by a majority of just 5,399 over Reform UK at the 2024 general election. Since then, Labour’s polling has collapsed, while Reform’s has surged. This month’s local elections saw Mr Farage’s party win every …